A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag applicator including a spool system for holding and guiding a tape including a plurality of RFID tags from a first spool to a second spool, an RFID programmer coupled to spool system to send a programming signal to each of the tags passing from the first spool to the second spool, an RFID reader coupled to the spool system for reading a return signal from a programmed RFID tag in order to reject or accept the programmed tag, and an applicator member operatively coupled to the RFID reader to cause an RFID tag to peel away from the tape onto a passing substrate if the RFID tag is accepted by the RFID reader or pass to the second spool if rejected.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The tag applicator of claim 1, further comprising a controller operatively connected to the spool system and the RFID reader for accelerating the spool system in order to accelerate the tape in response to the RFID tag being rejected.
3. The tag applicator of claim 1, wherein the applicator member includes a blade below the roller for peeling the RFID tag away from the tape when pressed by the roller.
4. The tag applicator of claim 1, wherein the RFID programmer is directed at a location adjacent to the applicator member.
5. The tag applicator of claim 1, wherein the RFID programmer is adjacent to the RFID reader.
6. The tag applicator of claim 1, further comprising a camera operatively connected to the spool system to detect a presence of an upcoming substrate intended to be paired with an RFID tag.
7. The tag applicator of claim 6, wherein the camera is positioned slidably on an arm, at a location downstream of the RFID reader with respect to a travel direction of packing blanks pointed in a direction towards the applicator member.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first RFID tag applicator includes a spool system and an RFID reader, and wherein the controller is configured to accelerate the spool system in skip an RFID tag rejected by the RFID reader to an RFID tag.
10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a second RFID tag applicator coupled to the track at an adjustable distance from the first RFID tag applicator.
11. The system of claim 8, further comprising a camera positioned slidably on an arm, at a location downstream of the die cutter pointed in a direction towards the die cutter to detect a presence of an upcoming blank.
12. The system of claim 8, further comprising a conveyor belt located beneath the first tag applicator for advancing the cardboard blanks.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising actuating an applicator member upwards in response to an improperly programmed RFID tag being detected.
15. The method of claim 13, further comprising stopping the tag applicator and die cutter in response to more than two consecutive RFID tags being improperly tagged.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the RFID tags are pressed onto a surface of a packaging blank such that the RFID tags become part of an inner surface of a package when the blank is erected.
17. The method of claim 13, further comprising adjusting a distance between the first RFID tag applicator and a second RFID applicator.
18. The method of claim 13, further comprising winding the spooling tape onto an ending spool.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wound tape includes improperly programmed RFID tags.
20. The method of claim 17 further comprises cutting the cardboard blank of specific size and configuration before feeding the carboard blank towards the first RFID tag applicator.
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December 1, 2021
September 24, 2024
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